Washington County, Alabama Genealogy
Guide to Washington County, Alabama ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The County was named in honor of George Washington, first President of the United States of America. [2]The county is located in the southwest area of the state.[3]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Washington County Courthouse
45 Court Street
Courthouse
PO Box 548
Chatom, AL 36518
Phone: 251-847-2239
Fax: 251-847-2015
Washington County Website
Probate Judge has marriage records from 1826, Land records from 1799, Military Discharge records from 1919, Birth & Death Records from 1920, and probate Records from 1825 [4]
Washington County, Alabama Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1908 | 1826 | 1908 | 1802 | 1799 | 1825 | 1816 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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Populated Places[edit | edit source]
The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in Washington County:[7]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator.
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Census-designated places | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
- Washington County Bible Records at USGenWeb Archives Project
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1820 | 4,118 | — |
| 1830 | 3,474 | −15.6% |
| 1840 | 5,300 | 52.6% |
| 1850 | 2,713 | −48.8% |
| 1860 | 4,669 | 72.1% |
| 1870 | 3,912 | −16.2% |
| 1880 | 4,538 | 16.0% |
| 1890 | 7,935 | 74.9% |
| 1900 | 11,134 | 40.3% |
| 1910 | 14,454 | 29.8% |
| 1920 | 14,279 | −1.2% |
| 1930 | 16,365 | 14.6% |
| 1940 | 16,188 | −1.1% |
| 1950 | 15,612 | −3.6% |
| 1960 | 15,372 | −1.5% |
| 1970 | 16,241 | 5.7% |
| 1980 | 16,821 | 3.6% |
| 1990 | 16,694 | −0.8% |
| 2000 | 18,097 | 8.4% |
| 2010 | 17,581 | −2.9% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
State Census
- 1855 Alabama State Census, 1855 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1866 Alabama State Census, 1866 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1907, 1921, 1927 Alabama, Census of Confederate Veterans, 1907, 1921, 1927 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Alabama denominations, view the Alabama Church Records wiki page.
- 1831-1994 Alabama, Church Records, 1831-1994 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
- 1802-1821 Court Records, 1802-1821(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1802-1827 Superior Court Minutes (1802-1827) and Court Trails and Miscellaneous Records (1812-1821), Washington County, Alabama(*); Superior and Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1803-1806 Bonds, 1803-1806(*); Superior and Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1805-1825 Chancery Court Records, 1805-1825(*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1805-1827 Circuit Court Minutes, 1805-1827, Washington County, Alabama(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1827-1850 County Court Minutes, 1827-1850; County Court Records, 1827-1844(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1911-1914 Register of Prisoners, 1911-1914(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1919-1930 Sheriff's Register, 1919-1930(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
- 1865-1872 Alabama, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1872 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- Christian Memorial in Millry
- Lathan Funeral Home in Chatom
- St. Stephens Funeral Home in St. Stephens
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Alabama Land and Property for additional information about early Alabama land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse, where records are currently housed.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Washington County. The histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Alabama Local Histories.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Maps of Alabama (1799-1980)
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
- Alabama Maps and Blueprints Collection at Alabama Department of Archives and History – maps can be browsed by location or subject
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Multiple Wars
- ca.1918-ca.1962 Alabama, Military Discharge Records, ca.1918 - ca.1962 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
Civil War
- 1861-1865 Alabama Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, images at partner site
- 1861-1865 Alabama Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, images at partner site
- 1861-1865 Civil War Service Database at Alabama Department of Archives and History - index
- 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry
- 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry
- 1871-1880 Alabama, Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871-1880 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1880-1930 Alabama, Confederate Pension Applications, ca. 1880-1930's at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1907, 1921, 1927 Alabama, Census of Confederate Veterans, 1907, 1921, 1927 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- Alabama Civil War and Reconstruction Newspapers at Alabama Department of Archives and History
Regiments. Men in Washington County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (part of a large regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Washington County:
- - 11th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company E
- - 24th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company E "Dickinson Guards"
- - 24th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company G
- - 32nd Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company A, F and G
- - 38th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, Company C
World War I
- 1917-1919 Alabama, World War I Service Cards, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1917-1918 Alabama World War I Service Records at Alabama Department of Archives and History - alpha index by name and images
- 1917-1918 Alabama World War I Gold Star Files at Alabama Department of Archives and History - alpha index by name and images
World War II
- 1940-1945 Alabama, World War II Draft Registration Cards,1940-1945 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1940-1966 Alabama Active Military Service Reports at Alabama Department of Archives and History - alpha index by name and images
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- Alabama Civil War and Reconstruction Newspapers at Alabama Department of Archives and History
- Alabama Online Historical Newspapers - identifies historical archived and digitized newspapers available online on both and pay-to-access websites.
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Voter Registration
- 1834-1981 Alabama Voter Registration and Poll Tax Cards, 1834-1981 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection; index and some images
Alabama Voting Registers for 1867 are available online at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. Washington County has one book.
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1745-1854 Miscellaneous Records of Alabama : Cemetery and Bible Records(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1753–1999 Alabama Wills and Probate Records 1753-1999 at Ancestry ($)
- 1800-1850 Bonds, Manumissions, Slave Sales, Probate Records, 1800-1850(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
- 1800-1939 Images of Estates at Southeastern Genealogy ($)
- 1800-1943 Washington County, Alabama, Probate Records, 1800-1943(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1809-1985 Alabama Probate Records, 1809-1985(*) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images
- 1825-1914 Inventories and Appraisements, 1825-1914(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1827-1889 Washington County Wills Index at USGenWeb.org
- 1830-1976 Alabama Estate Files, 1830-1976(*) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Alabama tax records complement land records and can be used to supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information, see the wiki page Alabama Taxation.
- 1816 Inhabitants of Alabama in 1816. Broken Arrow Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, 1955. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library. Includes Washington County.
- 1865-1866 U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 at Ancestry ($). Washington County is in District 1.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Alabama State Department of Health , the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred or order electronically online $.
For some online statewide indexes, see the FamilySearch Historical Record Collections for Alabama.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1881–1930 Alabama Births and Christenings, 1881-1930 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1881-1930 Alabama, County Birth Registers, 1881-1930 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and some images
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1733–2013 Alabama, United States Marriages at Findmypast$
- 1800–1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800-1969 at Ancestry $
- 1809–1920 Alabama Marriages, 1809-1920 (Selected Counties) at Ancestry $
- 1809–1950 Alabama, County Marriages, 1809-1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and some images
- 1802–1804, 1825-1873, 1889-1896, 1931, 1936–1969 Alabama, Marriage Collection, 1800–1969 at Ancestry - ($)
- 1816–1957 Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1818-1936 Alabama County Marriages, 1818-1936 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1826–1873; 1889-1896 "Alabama Marriages, 1809–1920" at Ancestry– ($) Containing about 150,000 records and the names of nearly 300,000 men and women.
- To 1825 Index to Marriages at Ancestry– ($) Contains over 12,000 names.
- 1826–1889 Washington County Marriage Books A thru D Index 1826-1889. Batch M593521 at FamilySearch[8]
- 1889–1895 Washington County Marriage Books 4 thru 6 Index 1889-1895. Batch M593522 at FamilySearch
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1881–1952 Alabama Deaths and Burials, 1881-1952 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1881–1974 Index to Deaths and Burials at Ancestry– ($) Copies of church, civil, family, and other records of Alabama deaths and burials. Varies depending on the original record. Incomplete
- 1908–1959 Index to Deaths Recorded by the State of Alabama at Ancestry– ($)
- 1908–1974 Alabama Deaths, 1908-1974 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1920–1940 - Washington County Death Index 1920-1940. Batches B593523 and B593524 at FamilySearch
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Washington County. For state-wide library facilities, see Alabama Archives and Libraries.
Washington County Public Library
14102 St. Stephens Ave.
Chatom, Alabama 36518
Phone: 251-847-2097
website
McINTOSH BRANCH'
83 Olin Road
McIntosh, AL 36553
Phone: 251-944-2047
website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Washington County Alabama Historical and Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 421
Chatom, Alabama 36518
Email: Washco.al.historicalsociety@gmail.com
Website
Facebook
Websites[edit | edit source]
- USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
- USGenWeb Archives Project ~ contains record transcriptions from Bibles, obituaries, court records and more.
- Washington County ALGenWeb ~ record transcriptions and information pertinent to the county.
- Washington County, Alabama Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Alabama.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, "Washington County, Alabama Genealogy and History", http://genealogytrails.com/ala/washington/ 6/27/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Washington, Alabama," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_County,_Alabama 6/27/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Alabama.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Alabama.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Alabama.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Washington County, Alabama," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_County,_Alabama, accessed 26 October 2018.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/4/4d/Igialabamatz.pdf.
